Searching WinCustomize? Read this!
Browser plugins help you find skins, articles and forum posts
Wednesday, June 29, 2005 by GreenReaper | Discussion: Developer Journals
Ever wanted to do a quick search for a skin? I've always found it a bit of a pain - you have to go to WinCustomize, wait for it to load, scroll down to the search box, select the library from that dropdown box, type the word in and wait for the results to come back. Wouldn't it be nice if there were fewer steps in that?
One obvious solution is the WinCustomize SkinBrowser. If you find yourself repeatedly searching through the library, it's a good idea to grab a copy of that by subscribing to WinCustomize. But what if you just want to look for a skin every few days? It's a hassle having to start the skinbrowser up - it's probably faster to use the website, unless you want to do several searches.
Enter search plugins. These little babies integrate into the search box on your browser - you just have to select the plugin you want to use for a particular search, and then type in your search term, and it searches that library or forum for you!
(for those of you who don't yet have a browser with a search box, I advise you to get Firefox at this point
)
So, how to get these plugins? Well, you'll be glad to know I've done all the hard work for you. Just go to this page and click the appropriate links for the search plugins that you want to install. They should then show up in your search box to select. I've thrown in some for the GalCiv libraries and forums (even the GC2 ones that don't actually have a search yet
), as well as one for JoeUser. If you like the idea and want one for another popular site, you might be able to find what you're looking for here.
Please note that they are not official tools and are liable to stop working if the method used to search changes. Having said that, I hope you find them helpful!
For any developers wishing to do something similar, I suggest you look at the Mozilla overview and the Apple docs.
One obvious solution is the WinCustomize SkinBrowser. If you find yourself repeatedly searching through the library, it's a good idea to grab a copy of that by subscribing to WinCustomize. But what if you just want to look for a skin every few days? It's a hassle having to start the skinbrowser up - it's probably faster to use the website, unless you want to do several searches.
Enter search plugins. These little babies integrate into the search box on your browser - you just have to select the plugin you want to use for a particular search, and then type in your search term, and it searches that library or forum for you!
(for those of you who don't yet have a browser with a search box, I advise you to get Firefox at this point
)So, how to get these plugins? Well, you'll be glad to know I've done all the hard work for you. Just go to this page and click the appropriate links for the search plugins that you want to install. They should then show up in your search box to select. I've thrown in some for the GalCiv libraries and forums (even the GC2 ones that don't actually have a search yet
), as well as one for JoeUser. If you like the idea and want one for another popular site, you might be able to find what you're looking for here.Please note that they are not official tools and are liable to stop working if the method used to search changes. Having said that, I hope you find them helpful!
For any developers wishing to do something similar, I suggest you look at the Mozilla overview and the Apple docs.
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bhast2
Reply #22 Sunday, January 8, 2006 6:49 PM
Reply #22 Sunday, January 8, 2006 6:49 PM
thanks this will help me out a bunch because i search for new stuff everyother day or so
liquidguru
Reply #23 Wednesday, February 15, 2006 10:29 AM
Reply #23 Wednesday, February 15, 2006 10:29 AM
wow thanks GreenReaper,
just discovered your plugins and they work great...what a fantastic way to search the forums...just type into FF's search box...brilliant
just discovered your plugins and they work great...what a fantastic way to search the forums...just type into FF's search box...brilliant
PYR0M4N1AC
Reply #25 Tuesday, March 28, 2006 8:47 PM
Reply #25 Tuesday, March 28, 2006 8:47 PM
Ah, yes, the many many joys of using Firefox. Im surprised the geniuses over at Microsoft couldnt think of the things that Firefox has. 
Der-Rickster00001
Reply #27 Sunday, April 30, 2006 3:28 PM
Reply #27 Sunday, April 30, 2006 3:28 PM
Ok this is probably the best place to post this...after about a week of using WinCustomize Browser I do not like it at all. So what am I doing wrong? Please tell me
I find it bulky and non intuitive. Personally I think its a waste of 19.95 and feel it should be included as part of the Object Desktop subscription. I get quicker results from using the browser.
I was about to give up on the whole OD thing until I sat down and started figuring things out. So please help me see the light or is there one.
Thanks
I find it bulky and non intuitive. Personally I think its a waste of 19.95 and feel it should be included as part of the Object Desktop subscription. I get quicker results from using the browser.
I was about to give up on the whole OD thing until I sat down and started figuring things out. So please help me see the light or is there one.
Thanks
Bichur
Reply #28 Sunday, August 27, 2006 4:02 PM
This is old and you have probably figured this out by now: the WC browser is not 19.95, the 19.95 is the WC subscription for unlimited downloads & the browser is a free perk to subscribers.
On the other hand, it allows me to bump this up for new FF users that don't know of the plugin.
Reply #28 Sunday, August 27, 2006 4:02 PM
| Personally I think its a waste of 19.95 and feel it should be included as part of the Object Desktop subscription. |
This is old and you have probably figured this out by now: the WC browser is not 19.95, the 19.95 is the WC subscription for unlimited downloads & the browser is a free perk to subscribers.
On the other hand, it allows me to bump this up for new FF users that don't know of the plugin.
Bichur
Reply #29 Sunday, August 27, 2006 4:04 PM 
well crap! the link to the plug-in is coming up 404!
ooohhhh.... GreenReaper....
Reply #29 Sunday, August 27, 2006 4:04 PM
well crap! the link to the plug-in is coming up 404!
ooohhhh.... GreenReaper....
Bichur
Reply #31 Sunday, August 27, 2006 4:47 PM
Reply #31 Sunday, August 27, 2006 4:47 PM
No Z....
The link in the O Post is for a Firefox plugin to add to your search options. I have it on FF at home, was gonna add it here where I'm at now.... but now I can't get to it.
Made it easy to do quick searches of forums or galleries (he's got more than a few plugins).
But yep, the new search rocks
The link in the O Post is for a Firefox plugin to add to your search options. I have it on FF at home, was gonna add it here where I'm at now.... but now I can't get to it.
Made it easy to do quick searches of forums or galleries (he's got more than a few plugins).
But yep, the new search rocks
POPSTAR13
Reply #32 Saturday, February 3, 2007 2:23 AM
Reply #32 Saturday, February 3, 2007 2:23 AM
it's ALIVE! it's ALIVE! thanks alot that's just great now if I can only figure out how to fit that WC browser in the recycle bin. LOL Â 
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Reply #21 Friday, November 11, 2005 9:27 PM